Fortress
Jiayuguan
🇨🇳 China · 14th century
Jiayu Pass or (simplified Chinese: 嘉峪关; traditional Chinese: 嘉峪關; pinyin: Jiāyù Guān) is the first frontier fortress at the west end of the Ming dynasty Great Wall, near the city of Jiayuguan in Gansu province. Along with Juyong Pass and Shanhai Pass, it is one of the main passes of the Great Wall. In the Ming period, foreign merchants and envoys from Central Asia and West Asia mostly entered China through Jiayu Pass.
Text adapted from “Jiayu Pass” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Jiayuguan ranks #525 of 8,134 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #15 of the 119 mapped in China. Founded 1372, it is older than 56% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 604 atlas entries founded in the 14th century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 6,966 times in the last 60 days, more than 89% of the atlas. See how China compares in the castle statistics.
View on the interactive castle map →Frequently asked questions
Where is Jiayuguan?
Jiayuguan stands in China, at 39.80146°, 98.21618°.
When was Jiayuguan built?
The atlas dates its founding to 1372. Earlier structures may have stood on the site; this is the earliest documented founding year.
Is Jiayuguan a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Yes — it is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, per its Wikidata entry.
How famous is Jiayuguan?
In this atlas's fame ranking: #525 of 8,134 worldwide, and #15 in China. Fame here combines how many Wikipedia language editions cover a landmark with how many people read them.
What is the nearest castle to Jiayuguan?
Suoyang City, about 178 km away.
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